Starting device for automobiles and like machines.



A R. 1). STRYKER. STARTING DEVIGE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND LIKE MACHINES. AAPPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1909. v 973,232 Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

2 SEEING-SHEET 1 Fi I. 0

R. D. .STRYKER.

STARTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND LIKE'MAGHINES. APPLICATION Hun my29, 1909 Patented 0ct.18,19 10.

2 SHEETE-SHEBT 2.

IHVE'NTOR A1 TYS ROBERT D. STRYKEE, OF HURON, OHIO, ASSIG'NOR FFORTY-NINE ONE-HITNDREDTHS TO N. E. "WGESSaNER, OF HURON, OHIO.

STARTING DEVICE FOR AUTQIVIOBILES AND LIKE MACHINES.

erases.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Dot. 18,1910.

' To all whom it may concern:

lessening of the with a crank at the seat. Fig. 5 is Be it known that 1,ROBERT D. S'rnyirnu, citizen of the United States, residing at Huron, inthe county of Erie andState of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Starting Devices for Au tomobiles and LikeMachines, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to an automobile cranking or starting device, andhas for its primary object, an improved construction and arrangement ofparts, whereby the cranking or starting of the engines or motors ofautomobiles or the like may be easily done without the operator leavingthe seat or the vehicle.

' This invention also has for its object the liability of injury to theoperator in the event of back firing or reyerisa l of the engine andconsequent back- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. I is a sideelevation of the front portion or an automobile having my new andimproved devices installed therein and with parts thereof in verticalsection to more clearly disclose internal construction and relatlon ofparts. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the ratchet mechanism through whichstarting or cranking of the engine is effected and taken on the line ofthe shaft carrying the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of saidmechanism and a cross section of the shaft on which it is mounted. Fig.l is a side elevation of the machine corresponding to Fig. 1 but show--ing a modification of the starting mechanism a front elevation of thecranking mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a side elevationthereof. 1

In all cranking or starting work of this general character heretoforethere have existed the elements of great inconvenience because theoperator had to leave his seat and go to the front or side of themachine to do the work, and of positive danger unless great carewas'exercised of being kicked by the action of the engine when the startwas made, or injured by the sudden starting of the Car in the event thatthe clutching 'mechanism should be inadvertently thrown in. I Thepresent invention'has in View not only the practical elimination of allthese objections but the introduction of devices whereby the operatorcan occupy his seat and crank or start the machine with perfect safetyand with comparative ease so far as the use of strength is concerned. Tothese ends I mount the primary cranking or ratchet parts-or operatingelements directly so or indirectly upon the engine shaft S and operatethe said parts by a hand crank C or equivalent means located at someplace in the front of the car convenient of operation from the driversseat, preferably upon the 5 dashboard as shown, and a line of mechanismconnecting the same operatively with said primarycrankin parts as w'illnow appear. Thus, the sai cranking parts com prise a main member orwheel A. having a "go laterally extended. hub o keyed or splincd. onshaft S and carrying a ratchet ring 3 and a side ring or part D mountedtogether on the side hub c on the inner side of said wheel and restingupon antifriction balls or rollers 2 and 3 respectively, interveningthesaid rings and, hub to relieve friction and sustain said parts on thehub. The wheel or member A of this group of parts has an annular rim ain which the ratchet ring so 3 is located and a race is provided forsaid balls 2, between'the said ring l3 and a hub a, substantially asshown, and a corresponding race is provided for balls 3 within side ringD by means of a minor bearing ring-d next within said part D and acounter ring 0 screwed onto huh a and said minor rings are fashionedrespectively on. opposite edges to provide said race. Obviously thesedetails maybe considerably varied and not depart from the invention.

Practically the rings B and D are one, being rigidly connected by screws4 at in tervais, the idea being that the part D serves as a side supportfor ratchet B and at affords means for attaching the actuating toothedring E thereto. Even this ring might be integral with ring D, or alsowith ring B except for possible convenience of manufacture orconsiderations of economy 1.00

in service, such as the furnishing of new parts in case of breakage hereor there. Practically, therefore, the wheel A carries a. ratchet wheelmounted on antifriction,

balls or rollers about the hub thereof, and

said wheel is provided with teeth 5 about. its outer periphery, or, moreproperly, ring E has said teeth thereon and which are- .1 ,4.

adapted to he engaged by sprocket chamG a u l in the hue of operatingmechanism ,ilflill 11o S, the, embodiment or unitary member re resentedby B, D and E is free to turn 1n either direction therein subject tocontrol through said sprocket chain G. As to this line ofoperating-mechanism the said chaln runs over a relatively small sprocketwheel or pinion 8 on a shaft J ,and said shaft terminates at its innerend beneath a narrow box L immediately at the operators 'feet eitherupon the dashboard at or beneath the seat, sa as shown in Fig. 4. Ineither case.

, the sai shaft .is operatively connected with short crankshaft N bymeans of a sprocket chain 11 running'over gears 10*and 12 re-'spectively on said shafts, but bevel hearing or its equivalent may beused instead. Positive operating control of the cranking 'mechanismmounted inor upon wheel A isthus given'to crank G, and thefurther'details of this mechanism will now appear. Thus, the

said ratchet member, or, more specifically,

.the ring B has a succession of ratchet teeth 15 about its periphery andrunning next within the'rim a of wheel A which encircles said teeth andwhich has ball .pockets 17 at infrequent intervals on its inside adaptedto receive lockin or wedging balls 18. N ormall ,or when t e machine isrunning, the sai balls occupy said pockets and are held therein bycentrifugal force in -wheel A, but when rotation of said' wheel the'short groove ordepression 20 0 en to ceases said balls, or one or moreof them, will drop out of its pocket 17 and roll into said pocket atoneend. This brings t e ball into the path of the ratchet teeth 15, whereit-is .eng gid'by the first tooth next behind and b w 'ch it is pressedagainst the end shouldercr stop of said groove or bevel,

a and said ratchet ring is thereby locked into jworking engagement withwheel A. Such .engagement has occurred in at least two of the saidgrooves as seen in Fig. 3, and enou such pockets, grooves and balls aredistributed about said ratchet tobe sure of always making engagementwith one or more. When this occurs the parts are in position andrelation to crank the engine from crank C, and the proper rotation willstart shaft S and set the en ine in motion.-

When the engine is starte the wheel A is liableto be carried forwardwith a nick jerk and away from engagement b 'ba' 1 18, and said ball isthereupon rolled ack into ocket 17 vand all the cranking mechanism -1sreleased. Obviously there is no-room for violence or danger to theperson in this operation because the moment the ball is again pocketedrelease of the cranking parts occurs automatically and this isinstantaneous with the starting of the engine. Centrifugal force will"then hold all the balls in their pockets until rotation ceases. Frictionbetween the ratchet member and wheel A is minimized by the antifrictionballs 2' nd 3 as above described, and said balls are housedv so as toexclude dust. An suitable provision may be made for oiling t ese bearinwhen necessary, as indicated by duct 22.

awls or other operative m'eansforengaging the ratchet member with wheelA maybe 'employ'edin' lieu of balls 18, as well as any suitable orequivalent mechanical connection between crank C and said ratchet tooperate the ratchet and crank the engine,- but the constructions shownare found to be very satisfactory. The most available position on shaftS for the ratchet mechanism may be chosen, I other part thereof fartherback.

whether as shown or on some The periphery of wheel rim a has a groove16-for a cord or belt 26 which drives the cooling fan F.

. Short Shaft N whichis shown 1' a 'ng and 6 as carrying the immediateor mechanism, is supported in a suitable bracket 30 fixed upondash-board O.

The fore oin mechanism is for the most part repro uce in Fig.4 whereinthe startm'g crank G is located at the bottom and front .of the seat. Inthis modification the shaft J is extended through to a point under theseat and sprocket chain'll and its wheels 10 and 12 andshort shaft N arelocated under the seat insteadof being in the box 7 on the dash-board asin Fig. 1. Otherwise, there no 'diflerencain constructidn and operationof the crankmg or startin mach-- described. However,- igs. 1, ow partsand adaptations not present in Fig. 4 and which consist in means anismalreadyl or automatically disengaging crank C the instant back lashoccurs in starting the engine. To these ends I aflix a ratchet wheel 32upon short shaft N next to sprocket wheelv 12 in this-instance andprovided with teeth on its' side. The head of crank C is pro-' videdwith an annular rim or rib a, and said head has ratchet teeth onitsinner side or :face adapted to engage with correspondirfig teeth 'onratchet head 34- fixed on shaft Interposed beneath said rim 0 andratchet wheel 32- is a member 35 having a longitudinal' slot by which itis slidably mounted on-apin 36 on bracket30. The front endof said memberextends downward at right angles and has an enlargement bearing.

against the said crank rim-c, while the opposite or inner end thereofcarries a 'pawl 36 adapted to engage ratchet wheel-32. Said member orlever 35 is further provided with a spring 37 to keep or hold itnormally outward and so as to eep pawl 36 with ratchet 32 except whenengaged by rim 0, and pawl 36 has a bowed or other spring 88 bearingthereon to hold it in working position with ratchet 32. 1 Now, assumingthat cranking is 5 to occur, the operator will press the crank inward soas to engage head 34 and this will force the other parts into theposition and relation shown in Fig. 6. When thus positioned, the pawl 36will lie idle as wheel 32 is rotated past the same in the operation ofcranking, but the instant back action takes place under a kick from theengine the pawl 36 will be engaged by the'first ratchet tooth on wheel32 and by swinging down but a sli ht distance will straighten out orclose itse f at its shouldered joint and thus force the crank out ofoperating engagement v with ratchet part 3 1 by a sliding andosciilater-{movement of lever 35 on pin 36. The back or reverse movementpermitted before lever C is thrown out is so slight and so quicklyfollows reversal that there is neither time nor distance of movement inthe crank to ermit injury to occur.

bviously the foregoing may properly be considered as only one ofdifferent adaptations of mechanism that will operate to give the sameresult and protect the operator and all equivalents of the means shownare deemed to be within the spirit and scope of,

my .invention.

What I claim is: I 1. In engine starting devices, an engine shaft andratchet mechanism mounted thereon and comprising a wheel fixed on theshaft and having a side rim with pockets at intervals aratchet ringmounted on the side ofs'aid wheel and having teeth on its v periphery,and balls in said pockets adapted 40 tov come into locking relationswith i said teeth. 1 2. In starting devices for engines, a shaft havinga member fixed thereon provided "with a hub and a plurality of pocketswithin its periphery, a ring supported on ball bearings on the hub ofsaid member and having teeth opposite said pockets and a ball in eachpocket, said member having short shouldered groove next to each pocketadapted to receive said ball for locking said ring operatively with saidmember.

-3. The combination with an engine shaft of a wheel secured thereto,provided with a flanged rim having "one or more inwardly openingpockets, a ratchet rim mounted within said flanged rim and -havingEnioycment independent of said wheel, and f'wed ing elements in saidpockets adapted to e on aged by theteeth on said ratchet ring an bindthe same to the said. wheel.

4. In automobiles and like vehicles, an engine shaft and a wheel fixedthereon hav-- ing a circular recess in its side provided eraseseratively lock said ring with said wheel and to be automaticallyreleased through power rotation of said shaft, said wheel havingdepressions next to said cavities adapted to receive said balls whenlocking occurs;

5. In engine starting devices, the combi-. nation of a shaft and a wheelfixedthereon having a laterally extending hub fixed on said shaft andprovided with a recess in its inner sideand cavities at intervals in theperiphery of said recess, a ratchet member loosely mounted on said hubin said recess and having teeth about its periphery opposite saidcavities, and gravity balls adapted to engage said member with saidwheel at said cavities and to be automatically disengaged when theengine is started.

6. In starting devices for vehicle engines, an engine shaft and ratchetmechanism thereon adapted to operativ'ely engage said shaft, incombination with a hand crank at the front of the seat, and positiveoperating means connecting said crank with sai ratchet mechanismcomprising a countershaft and gear connections at its respective endsand a longitudinally slidable lever engaged by said hand crank, a ,pawlpivoted on said lever and a ratchetfwheel on said counlter-shaft adaptedto be engaged .by said 7. In starting mechanism for vehicles havingexplosive engines to drive the same,

a shaft and starting mechanism thereon comprising a hand member adaptedto, rotate the shaft, and pawl and ratchet mechanism to press said handmember out of working engagement upon reversal of movement of said shaftfrom the engine comprising a spring pressed lever mounted to slidelengthwise within limits and having a head adapted to be engaged by saidhand 7 member and a. pawl pivoted on the other end thereof.

8. In starting mechanism for vehicles, a shaft and a ratchet wheelthereon, a hand member adaptedto be operatively engaged with-said shaftand a kick-off part operatively engaged with-said ratchet wheel and saidband member to disengage said hand member from said shaft upon reversalthereof comprising a lever longitudinally slidable and a pawl pivotedthereon and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel.

In testimon 1 whereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

ROBERT D. STRYKER- i/Vitnesses:

A. H. PEARL,

G. SHEPHERD.

